


I Think I Wanna Marry (not) You

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: F/M, Family, Gen, Relationship Advice, post-Zurich
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-28
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-03-03 23:30:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2892101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been seven months since the events of Zurich.</p><p> </p><p>"I want to propose!" Martin blurted.</p><p>Douglas paused, a handful of chips halfway to his mouth. "... Hello to you, too, Martin. I'm doing well, thank you for asking."</p><p>"... Oh, my God! I'm sorry, I didn't, I meant... I'm sorry. How have you been?"</p><p>"... Stupendous," Douglas said, slowly nibbling on his chips. "And while I'm flattered by your interest, Martin, I'm not really-"</p><p>The words filtered through slowly, and then: "Oh! No! Not to you!" he retorted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Think I Wanna Marry (not) You

**Author's Note:**

> Because I wanted a Martin/Theresa proposal in the programme, but I understand. So I wrote some Douglas&Martin pre-Theresa proposal instead. xD Characterisation's a bit iffy, but then, writing for this fandom is difficult for me.
> 
> Title inspired by Bruno Mars's song, obviously. I do not own it, nor do I own _Cabin Pressure_ or _Sherlock_ , for the quote inspired from _A Study in Pink_. Thanks for reading!

It had been seven months since Martin had seen any of his old MJN mates.

Well, it had been seven months since he'd seen them in person, because with his salary at Swiss Air, he'd been able to afford things like touch screen mobiles and laptops to communicate face-to-face over the internet or phone, but Martin still hadn't quite taken to those things yet. He would much rather talk to people in person, because that's what he'd gotten used to over the years.

Besides, something like this _required_ in person conversation, and loathe as Martin was to go to Douglas, he didn't really... have anyone else _like_ Douglas. He had friends at Swiss, sure, but Douglas was... well, he was Douglas.

"Martin! There he is!" Douglas waved him over to the table, where he was already knuckles deep into a basket of fish and chips. "It's been _ages_ , you're looking well. Enjoying Switzerland? With all of frankly astoundingly horrendous clocks, according to Carolyn," he added.

Martin stared down at him. Of course he had wanted to meet up with Douglas because he hadn't seen him in too long, but he also had a point to meeting up with Douglas. He needed advice. Loathe as he was to admit this, too, but Douglas was surprisingly good at advice. And this was _big_ advice that Martin needed, because he was too- he didn't know how- he wanted-

"I want to propose!" Martin blurted out.

Douglas paused, a handful of chips halfway to his mouth. "... Hello to you, too, Martin. I'm doing well, thank you for asking."

"... Oh, my God! I'm sorry, I didn't, I meant..." Martin flung himself into the chair opposite. "I'm sorry. How have you been?" he asked thinly.

"... Stupendous," Douglas said, slowly nibbling on his chips. "And while I'm flattered by your interest, Martin, I'm not really-"

The words filtered through slowly, and then: "Oh! No! Not to you!" he retorted. "To Theresa! Oh..." He slumped forward to put his face in his hands. Cue the reason why he had to ask advice about marriage proposals; he couldn't even _ask advice about marriage proposals_ without sounding like a complete berk.

"Yes, Martin, I very much gathered. Your relationship is still going strong, then? She hasn't gotten bored of you yet?"

Martin glanced up over his hands. "... Do you think she would?" he asked in a small voice. As was usual, Douglas was hitting the nail on the head, albeit without even knowing there was one to hit.

"Hmm?"

"Get bored with me," Martin muttered. "Get _tired_ of me."

Douglas raised his eyebrows. "Martin, if she was going to get tired of you, you would have been newly single the first week after dating her."

Martin sighed. "Thank you. I remember why I seek your advice now." He straightened up. "It's just... she's a princess, you know? I'm just a... a..."

"... A Martin?" Douglas ventured.

"... Yes," Martin said pathetically. "I can't help but think about it, I mean, she's from _royalty_ , she's-she's-she's... she's _perfect_ and then I'm me, and I'm not, I'm just this guy who _really_ wanted to be a pilot all his life. I've lived in an attic most of my life, I only just recently have a salary, I don't have any other hopes or dreams or ambitions, I just want to fly a plane and be married to her and have a family."

"... _Gosh_."

Martin cringed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to meet up to just unload on you, I wanted to see you and Arthur and Carolyn, too, it's just..." He steeled himself and swallowed. "... What do you think?"

Douglas shrugged, gesturing the waiter over. "I think," he said idly, "that you haven't changed at all over the past seven months." He ordered a pint and sent the waiter away.

"Is that good?" Martin asked. "Is that good that I'm not changing, or is it really, really bad that I haven't because my life around me has totally changed?" He stopped. "What if I'm unable to accept change? What if I'm really not happy now, but I just think I am because it's a happy delusion?"

" _Mar_ tin."

Martin stopped again, looking up at Douglas.

"First rule of thumb - and I'm pretty sure I've told you this before, and you've forgotten it - women like men who are confident," Douglas said, propping his elbows on the table.

"But I'm _not_ ," Martin protested. "I'm not, I'm never going to be."

"Martin, you're a bona-fide pilot. You are actually part of an airline, a line, at that, not a dot, not an imaginary airfield, but an actual air _line_. You make important command decisions every day."

Martin was briefly surprised by Douglas's tone. Was he actually being... serious?

"Besides," Douglas said, sitting back as the waiter brought the pint, "you said you were choosing me as your role model; you can't be anything else but _confident_ if you're trying to be me."

 _There it is_ , Martin thought, but he rolled his eyes fondly. "Right."

Douglas pushed the pint across the table to Martin.

"What, you ordered this."

"And I don't drink," Douglas said patiently. "Or did you forget everything about me already?"

"It's impossible to forget you," Martin replied, but he took the pint with a smile. "Thanks."

"Now drink that and put on your big boy breeches, Martin. If you're going to propose, you have to do it right."

Martin swallowed a mouthful. "D'you think it'll work, though?"

Douglas raised his eyebrows again. "What?"

"Do you... do you think she'll say yes?" Martin glanced up, and then away. He didn't want to face Douglas's reaction if he said _I doubt it_.

"Martin."

Martin looked back at him balefully.

"Of course she'll say yes."

Martin let out a breath that he hadn't been aware he was holding. "You really think so?"

"Like I said, if she's put up with you this long, she must love you. One aviation museum is the same as the next, and if a princess can put up with visiting more than one with the man she loves, I'd say you've pretty much got it in the bag. And - and this I will never say again - you have... plenty of good qualities, Martin. You just do stupid things like overlook them in your haste to think you're not up to par with anyone else. Titles don't matter. Love does."

Martin smiled nervously and tugged at the collar of his uniform. "... You really are a romantic."

Douglas laughed. "And currently now the only one not in a relationship out of all of us."

Martin chuckled. "Yeah, but you've been married, too."

"So has Carolyn, for that matter."

"Well. _I_ haven't." Martin sipped at his pint. "So... uh... any tips?"

"Whatever she says, goes, especially being a princess," Douglas said wisely.

"No," Martin retorted. "I meant about the proposal!"

"Oh, you want _ideas_ , too?" Douglas leaned forward. "Now this is going to be fun."

Martin wondered, vaguely, what he was getting into. Not just the marriage thing - which he was excited and nervous and slightly, okay, a lot frantic about - but the suggestions that Douglas was now rattling off.

"And then, if you take the mug and put it kiln for about-"

Martin smiled over his drink. He wasn't sure, really. But it was bliss nonetheless.

... How could he be so _happy_?

He wasn't sure what he had done to deserve all of this, but he was glad. Between MJN and his little family there, Theresa and Swiss Air... well, Martin didn't miss his attic, that was for sure.

" _Martin_ , are you listening?"

Martin jumped. "Sorry, what?"

"I'm _trying_ to help you, Martin."

"I'm listening," he said, tightening his grip around the glass.

He had to make sure that everything was still real because, right about now, he felt like he was living a dream.

 


End file.
